Eye of the Tornado- Anakin Skywalker's Autobiography
by Padme Dakini
Summary: Anakin Skywalker tells of his adventures from Attack of the Clones onward.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: Guardsman

I, Anakin Cleevon Skywalker, was sleeping fitfully when Master Kenobi opened my door.

"Up and at 'm, 'm boy," He said in a very faux cheery tone.

Mentally groaning, I sat up quickly. Master Kenobi sighed:

"How many times to I have to tell you, Ani? Please wear your chakrin shirt to bed. You never know when you may be called."

"But you encourage me to go shirtless at the pool, master! And I get hot at night."

Master snorked. "In Hoth? Please, Anakin. Don't dig your hole deepah..."

Anxious to escape punishment, I looked at my clock for reinforcements, but even I was unprepared for the shock that awaited me.

"1 AM?! Maaasstterrr..." I choked, shocked.

He laughed at my reaction. "Yes, yes. We are to leave on a secret mission, and we must leave at once in order to make it in time for the marrow's meetin'."

Kicking out of my covers, I replied, "What's the mission?"

"Our old friend, Queen Naberrie. She's in dangah..." He began in a dull voice.

My heart skipped a beat. "Padme?"

He looked at me with an odd look. "Yes, our old friend. There was an attack on her life and we are to protect haah."

We were in the elevator by 9 AM. Extremely nervous, I straightened my collars about seven times, wiped off my boots, and fidgeted with my padawan braid, all in about two minutes' time. Master Kenobi watched me with the twinkle in his eye that I both loved and detested.

"Yoh sweatin'. Relax, Anakin. Youuz the Foahce." He coached.

"I haven't seen her in ten years, Master." My heart was speeding up as we neared her presence. Ten years! Unbelievable. I wondered if she would recognize me... I had grown over two feet since she had seen me last. I wondered if she looked like what my dreams and daydreams saw her as. I wondered if she would like me. I wondered...

"Oh, Anakin," Master laughed, shaking his head, "Always so nervous."

"You were pretty nervous when I saved you from that mud pit on Lothal," I shot back, "Remember? You were all like, 'Thank yew, mah brave, brave boy...gasp...'"

"That incident with the mud pit doesn't count," He replied coldly.

I just shook my head and laughed.

The door flew open, and the vivaciously talkative Senator Binks quickly ambushed Master. I smiled as the fast-talking Naboo native seized my master's attentions.

"Obi?! Obi! Itza so good to see yew!" Jar-Jar blabbed, "Too long! Too long!"

Calmly freeing his hand from the eager alien's grasp, Master smiled diplomatically and answered, "Yes, it has been far too long, Senator Binks."

Binks led the way to a medium-sized room where Padme stood, awaiting us. "Hereza Miss Padme. Padme, theeza two strong Jedi to find Tiva's killaz."

Master and I bowed as he said, "We'll try our best, madam."

She smiled pleasantly at Master. Offering her hand, which he wasted no time in kissing, she replied, "Obi-Wan, it's been too long."

"Ten long yeahz, mah ladee." Master replied.

As she turned to me, her eyes lit up, and... something immediately happened that I would not explain here. The reader can probably guess. I was thanking my lucky stars for Master's previous compliance to a certain request as her eyes flew across me. Somehow, I could feel where her eyes passed over. It was extremely exciting... but did she recognize me?

"Ani?" She gasped, and I broke out into a big grin. "My goodness, you've grown!"

I could feel Master's eyes on me almost as much as I felt the painful blush that spread on my cheeks. "You have, too-" I managed to blurt, before I realized what that might entail. Swiftly, I added (I am sure I sounded like an absolute moron), "So beautiful, I mean."

She was, unfortunately, all over my twin mistakes. "Oh, Ani, you'll always be the little boy I met on Tatooine." Was that a put-down? I thought, disappointed that I had blown it from the start. Saddened but still physically excited, I followed her to a bulletproof-glassed seating room.

Oh, it seems like the negotiations went on forever! For some weird Kenobi reason, Master made ME her guard- right when I was about to be a knight! I was angry and talked back twice in the meeting. It is as if I was talking to someone who did not know the importance of me staying in school! I was really upset by the time nightfall came.

Naughtily, I checked her bedroom cameras. I was distraught when I found they were covered... not just for personal reasons. I went to tell Master.

"She covered up her cameras," I reported.

"Wha werre yew checkin' her bedrooom cameraz?" He said, eyebrow raised.

"To make sure there were no invaders, sir." I half-fibbed.

He seemed to be mentally laughing and said nothing more on the cameras, much to my semi-relief.

"I've been having nightmares, Master. They are extremely troubling… dreams about my mother being hurt…" I began.

"Be calm. Youuz thah Fouce." He instructed un-helpfully. After all, using the Force would not end my nightmares. "Slow down. Think clearly…" Seriously, sometimes I think he just repeats Jedi Handbook's one-liners at random.

"I'd much rather dream of Padme," I replied, "The dreams with her are far more pleasant. I had this weird series of dreams about her that I wanted to talk to you about. It all started with the Bay of Naboo…"

"Ani, a Jedi shouldnah be thinkin' of romance. 'Tis bad fah the…"

I ignored him. Master never listened to my visions or dreams! It made me really upset. After all, who else could I talk to about them? Certainly not Mace Windu!- he would accuse me of treason or something. Melvin Et'Ran, maybe… he was one of my best friends! No, he would probably mess with me about them… they were pretty juicy. Tru was away and could not be talked to. Darra… she had a crush on me and that would give her all the wrong impression (I do not even want to think about it). Maybe I should talk to Yoda. No, he would say, "Hee hee. Puberty, young boy has gone through, hmm?" Maybe I should talk to Caleb. He was cool enough… kind of old for a padawan, though. Nah. What about… my thoughts were interrupted by a devious Force alert. What was it… _assassin… worms…_?

"I feel Padme is in danger," I announced.

"I feel it, too," He replied, and we dashed towards her bedroom.

It was a beautiful, spacious Coruscantian design. Padme lay on her California King bed, in a beautiful nightgown, a wonderful, curve-enhancing light alighting her most lovely features. Oh, great. Once again, I was thanking my lucky stars…

Then I saw it. Assassin worms; they crawl up victim's mouths and noses to mind control them, then eat them from inside out when they're through with them. They were crawling over her to her face.

_A flash of my 'Aunt' Joyce's sister, Bett, a victim of such worms (for escaping her 'husband'-owner to get food for her sister and my mother and I, flew before my eyes. I could feel her terror as she screamed in pain and horror. The rest of the village backed away as she groveled in the sand, a gorgeous and disgusting woman in barely a bikini, her slavemaster-husband laughing as he delighted in her shrieks. She wept as she tried to pull the worms from her sinuses, then suddenly spasmed violently, gave a final soul-tearing cry, and lay still. And I, just a boy of seven years, watched with nerves of steel, neither crying nor laughing, a child turned droid._

But somehow, this was different. Emotions, ones I never knew I had, rose from their darkened dungeons in my heart: protection, care, kindness, and… love? I flew from the doorway onto her bed, suddenly fearless. This ridding my soul of fear had a remarkable effect- suddenly, I was acting out of love alone. I felt my energy rocket positively, and the power given was staggering, yet natural at the same time. With speed and precision I had never known, I cut all of the assassin worms in neat halves and Force-tossed them to either side of her bed. She awoke and sat quickly up (a very exciting sight), then stared me in the eyes. She seemed startled, taken aback, and confused all at once. Then Master jumped through the window at the hunter's droid, somehow caught it, and flew out of sight.

Acting without so much as a word to Padme, I leapt off the bed and raced into the speeder dock. Jumping in the closest mod speeder, I fired her up and sped after Master.

This one was, luckily for me, _The Dandelion Flame_, and she was a smooth flier! I found it easier to fly against the gusts of wrong-way traffic (common in Coruscantian skies) as I looked for my master. Where was he? Suddenly, I heard a shot and the shattering of a small, wired metal piece. _It is… your master… _I was told, and I was off.

I soon saw Master, falling helplessly through traffic. Deftly, I lined up and he fell on the rear end of _The Dandelion Flame_. He scrambled quickly to the passenger seat, caught his breath, and muttered:

"Wha took yew so lawngh?"

Inwardly groaning at his needless reprimand, I cynically replied:

"Oh, you know, Master- couldn't find a speeder I liked."

Master sighed, then dove headlong into a ridiculous scolding… something about taking things slowly and using the Force. I thought it was somewhat dumb for him to be reprimanding me on "takin tings sloh-lee" when he'd just jumped out a window at an assassin drone. I mean, that thing could have blown him up! Or worse, I reckoned as I surveyed the speeders below me.

"…and youvve lost hah. Thiis iz whah Ah tell yew nevah tew ahckt on ihmpuhlss…" He summarized. Just then, I found the assassin's speeder zooming up from a hidden, back alley lane. Thinking quickly, I calculated the distance and time it would take for me to fall on top of the speeder and kill Zam Wendell, infamous bounty hunter who tried to murder my crush. Smirking at Master, I replied:

"Excuse me," and leapt out of the speeder. The wind was excruciating as I fell, but I was determined to capture Padme's wannabe-assassin. Just when I thought my eyes would fly out of my head, I hit Zam's ship. Switching on my lightsaber, I dug my sky blue blade into the cockpit, messing up her controls. As the craft rocketed downward, the striking changeling took out her blaster and close-range fired my lightsaber out of my hands. It flew back, and I immediately resorted to Underworld tactics… punch the daylights out of that -er. This I did, but Zam was a hardy woman and withstood my constant barrages of cannonball fists (plus she had a helmet on. Ouchie.). She managed to leap put of the speeder and dart into a cantina as I chased her, my legs burning with fatigue. Finally, I ran into Master at the door (not literally this time!).

He had my lightsaber. "Anakin, hold onto this. This is your life."

"Yes, I'm sorry, Master." I replied, grasping it once again. It was my hero's, Qui-Gon Jinn's, and he had used in his fatal battle against Darth Maul. It was a real work of art: silver handle with black trim and a small purple ribbon inside shatterproof crystalline transulcentca, which served as an extra shield and enhancer of the actual crystal, which could turn from blue to green according to Force strength and clarity of said strength.

"She went in there and there she'll try to hide," said Master knowingly, "Let's go in and capture her. Now I'll go to the bar and look nonchalant, and you walk around and scan the area."

So that's what we did. However, Zam snuck up behind Master and tried to murder him, and would have succeeded if he wouldn't have cut off her arm. We dragged her outside and questioned her:

"Whom iz yo pahtnah?" Master asked.

"It's all right, Zam, you can tell us," I half-whispered in a gentle tone that scared _me._ I guess I thought being comforting would get the most information of her? I do not know. It certainly did not work. She whipped her head around to face me, her eyes wide with fear and surprise. I could feel Master staring at me, too. Before I could melt in embarrassment, I decided to turn to gangster Anakin. "Tell us NOW!"

Astonishingly, this strategy worked (I suppose I creeped her out enough), "I'm working with a bounty hunter named Jango Fett. He works for the Count-" Suddenly, a poison dart hit her neck, its flinger flew away on his jet pack, and the dashing young woman changed into her lower form and died.

Master ordered me to take the queen back to her homeworld of Naboo. "Itz clearly noot safe herah." He explained.

Padme arranged her court and went to pack her bags. She wore her hair in a ridiculous style she somehow pulled off and a long, torso-enhancing dress. She began talking politics… actually a very interesting conversation about her career and family, etc. I enjoyed watching her bend down and pick up stuff- the ankle-length skirt she wore made it all very entertaining. Finally, I began talking about Master:

"He's as strong as Master Windu and wise as Master Yoda- I respect him. But he treats me like a little kid. He's too proud, too pious, too dogmatic- and never listens. He's holding me back-"

"Don't you have to follow your master?" she asked, her voice soft and kind, "Can't you just decide for yourself if it's worth it- to be a Jedi? It _was_ your choice to become one…"

Nodding, I replied, "Sometimes we have to swallow our pride and do what is required of us."

She looked up (very exciting) and thoughtfully replied, "Anakin, I'm proud of you. You've grown up."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: Naboo

She went to the next room, as my heart regained its normal rhythm. Her words echoed in my throbbing head… _I'm proud of you. You've grown up._

She bent over to put something away, and I stared at her. Actually stared at her, for the first time. Before, I had snatched little glances, but now I drank in her presence. I concentrated very hard on her energy- she was a little angry at leaving Senate but was looking forward to returning to Theed, Naboo's capital city. She had a gentle and compassionate air about her that was incredibly magnetic to my care-starved soul. She stood up, and I looked her up and down- a beautiful creature, a true work of art. She was like a poem that can be read into infinity- rich, vibrant, and full of life. Interesting- no, fascinating. She captured my attentions. Then I caught her eyes and stared right into them. They were almost frightening to me- this was no weak-minded politician, but a poised, trained, elegant, comprehending senator. I longed to look away and look longer at the same time. This was more than a quick shiver of excitement- this was highly arousing, and addictive.

"Don't look at me like that," she half-whispered, but I could feel that she was speaking almost in second person. Did she find _me_ attractive? It looked like a little of that and a little like she was trying to figure me out.

"Why not?" I said in a soft voice that seemed to be not my own, "I'm all grown up. You said it yourself." An idea came to mind, quick as a radar blip and powerful as the Force. But it was dangerous to think about…

"It- makes me uncomftable," she blurted as… she felt excited? She felt excited! She cantered to the ship.

"Sorry, milady," I replied with just a hint of sarcasm. Then I mentally laughed with happiness. She was excited! I made her excited! I could feel the inner war in her head as she struggled with her feelings for me. It was unmistakenable… and it gave me this odd feeling of satisfaction. Was I that attractive of a guy? Master would be jeal-ous!

We reached Naboo seven months later and Master, his thick I-don't-know-where-it-comes-from accent breaking through the silence, as always, gave me one last set of instructions:

"Donna dew anyting brahsh, mah deer pupil. Think slohly. Youuz tha Fouce."

These words rang in my head as I ate lunch in Theed with Padme. She was wearing a stupid headdress thing, but those eyes… somehow, she pulled it off.

She asked me if I liked being bossed around.

"Yes, I do miss out on a lot." I said in between bites.

"You can't go to the places you like, do the things you want to do-"her soft voice went on.

"Or be with the people I love," I said quietly.

I could feel her excitement being suppressed once again. "You've changed a lot, haven't you?" She ventured.

"Sure, I've changed. But you haven't changed a bit. You're just the way I saw you in my dreams." I replied.

"Are Jedi even allowed to love?" She challenged.

"Passion is forbidden. Attachment is forbidden. But compassion, which I would describe as unconditional love, is essential to a Jedi's life." I looked her in the eyes, the suspicion of a smile on my face, "So, you might say that we are _encouraged_ to love."

A day or so later, we stopped by her parent's house. They were very nice to me.

Then, we stopped at the Bay of Naboo. She wore this simply gorgeous dress that exposed her shoulder blades… in hindsight, I cannot believe she wore that dress in front of me. I had expected her to clam up, but I guess the hot weather forced her out of her previous winter-worthy apparel. We walked to the end of the pier, and she, smiling, talked about her childhood swimming lessons. She ended the pleasant banter as we leaned on the edge of the pier, speaking of how she and her friends would lay in the sand and let the sun dry them and try to guess the names of the birds singing.

"I don't like sand," I returned, "It's coarse, rough, and irritating, and- it gets everywhere!" Fidgeting slightly, I went on, "Not like you. You're everything… soft. And smooth." I gently stroked her palm, arm, and then her lovely shoulder blades as she just stared out at the water, somewhat stunned. I felt no one had ever really touched her before.

Then she turned, faintly smiling, and finally met my eyes. I dropped my hand, feeling guilty, but really _good_. I genuinely smiled at the questioning energy waves in her eyes. Then I moved in closer… and closer…

I nearly pulled away, startled, as she accepted my kisses. Feeling no resistance or fear on her side, I continued. It was simply indescribable.

Then she pulled away, "No! We- shouldn't have done that."

"I'm sorry," I said on impulse, my mind still swirling. Then I thought, _what the heck is she talking about? That was totally awesome!_ But she maintained a steely silence, and so I did not bring it up again.

Luckily, she invited me to supper on the way home. _Just as I thought. No hard feelings. There must be some past hurt that caused her to snap like that._ But I kept my mouth shut.

It wasn't easy to forget our kiss, especially when she wore a super-hot, shoulderless black dress to supper. I decided to delve into the funniest interesting story I knew so that she'd laugh- when she laughs, she moves, after all. And that darn dress was the best-ever dress for her to move in.

"And then we got into aggressive negotiations…" I finished.

The punch line worked! She immediately moved forward. "Aggressive negotiations? What's that?" She mused.

"Well… negotiations with a lightsaber." I quipped, watching for a reaction.

She laughed- really laughed. I mentally laughed to myself for being so damn clever.

Then she went to cut the pear on her plate (one of her favorite fruits). I grabbed it with the Force and cut it for her. Grinning, I murmured, "Obi-Wan would have my head if he saw me." Then I sent it back and she forked it, biting off a chunk and smiling. I was just glad that we had made a ramshackle truce.

After we had finished, it was dark, so we went to the seating room to chat. She had Calii and Bertii light a fire in the gigantic fireplace that sat in the back of the room. There were chairs turned over from a meeting that apparently took place before our arrival. Only one loveseat remained aright, and we sat down on it. We talked politics and the Jedi Council, but I mostly replied in one or two-word intervals. Really, I was just enjoying the sound of her voice and the beautiful lighting on her self. Finally, the conversation stopped and there was an abrupt silence. I felt… something that had been growing for her in the eight months we had been together. It was more than lust, though I did appreciate what she looked like. Despite what exercises I had done to prevent the feeling from growing, it grew all the same. And as I reached the end of my physical and spiritual development, the more and more real it all felt…

She was gazing at me, I could feel it. I looked up suddenly and met her eyes nearly desperately. This seemed to scare her as she looked immediately away. Then my voice began resounding, my mind mulling over each word as I said it:

"From the moment I met you, not a day has gone by when I haven't thought of you. The thought of not being with you- torments me. I cannot breathe. I am haunted by the kiss you never should have given me. My heart is beating-" At a moment a physical need, I scooted closer- she scooted away gracefully. "- hoping that that kiss will not become a scar. The thought of not being with you, torments me. The closer I get to

you-" I scooted in again, but again she turned away. "- the worse it gets." I at last caught her averting eyes, staring into them, trying to explain without words what I was feeling. Guilty, yes- but also something more. Unworthy. Unworthy of her love. But I couldn't shake the feeling, so I tried to channel it to her. She flinched under my gaze, her eyes torn, as I said, "You are in my very soul, tormenting me. What can I do? I will do anything you ask."

On the verge of tears, Padme stood up and said fiercely, "Now you listen to me! Just for one minute! We live in a real world!"

Oh my God, I thought, How can a girl so hot not feel the power if her own likeness? Was she really going to do this to me? Did she think I was going to hurt her or something? "Believe me, I wish I could just 'wish away' my feelings. But I can't! You see, the love for you is there! All I want is to hold you and protect you and to be yours and- for you to be mine because I feel you're worth it all!" Now I was the one nearly crying.

Softly, and in a much quieter tone than she'd used originally, Padme replied, "I'm a Senator. You're a Jedi. I'm sorry, Ani, we- can't."

My heart was ripped in two. Nodding dumbly, I rose to go, saying, "You feel something, too, then?"

"I can't," she said weakly, shrugging.

Heartbroken but understanding, I went back to my room, dove under my covers, and cried myself to sleep.

Three weeks later, I had yet another mortifying vision of my mother, whom appeared about eight months pregnant, being brutally beaten with clubs by Tusken Raiders. I woke up as she screamed my name, sweaty and breathless.

Unable to sleep, I stayed at a weird subconscious state until the first light of morning, in which I pulled on my brown critean shirt and boots and went to clear my mind on the connecting porch I shared with Padme. She arrived about five minutes later, her presence like the refreshing morning breeze. I felt she'd turned to leave and said, "Don't go."

"I don't want to disturb you," she said quietly, and I felt a genuine respect behind her words.

"Your presence is soothing." I said earnestly.

"I heard you had a bad dream last night," she said frankly, but this was not the nosy senatorial tone she took. It was one of deep concern.

"Jedi don't have nightmares," I said, insulted suddenly.

"I heard you," she said bluntly.

I opened my eyes and stared into oblivion. "It was about my mother. She was in pain. Suffering, Padme. I saw her as clearly as I see you now." I turned to face her, my eyes flying over her. I was, again, surprised that she'd worn her slip and robe to meet me on the porch… surprised, but not dismayed in the least. I had to turn away to hide my physical reaction to such a presence. "She's suffering, Padme. I have to help her." I had to just hope she wouldn't notice it as I faced her again, "I have to save her."

I think she noticed. In a mildly cautious tone, she replied, "I'll go with you."

"I'm sorry, but you don't have a choice. I'm taking you with me." I demanded.

"I understand-" she began to say.

"I don't think you do," I retorted.

"I understand you-" she insisted.

"You obviously don't," I replied, insulted that she'd even attempt to say she did.

"I obviously do-" she buckled down. She was growing angry, her fists clenching, her features tightening. I bit my lip in a vain attempt to divert my immediate attentions. Though I disagreed still, all I could say was:

"Padme-"

"Anakin-" she replied, sticking her chin out a trifle.

"Padme-" was all I could respond.

"Yes, Ani?" she said in a kinder tone now.

"What will I ever do?" I replied in bitter desperation, "Please, help me!" For some strange reason I had a strong feeling that this lovely senator could answer one of my biggest questions. We had been friends before, right? We were both in love with each other and were both pretending not to be, right? That meant she cared, right?

To my relief, she took my hand. Daring to look me in the eyes, she said firmly, "It'll be fine, Anakin. We'll go out and look for her. If you do your best, you can have no regrets."

I smiled into her eyes and gave her a sincere beam. "Thanks, Padme. Let's get packed to leave." She freed her hands from mine somewhat hurriedly and turned to go, but I called after her, "One more thing- please don't call me Ani. That's my little boy name. I'm a man now, okay? Call me Anakin. If… you don't mind, of course."

I could see a twinkle in her eye as she grinned and retorted, "I don't mind, _Ani_." She attempted to walk off the porch in silence, but she burst out laughing before she left the bordered lace curtains. Her laughter was contagious. I was still laughing when she stopped for breath, smiling.

"Hey! You get my sense of humor!" I called after her.


End file.
